A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court (1949)

User Rating:

6.6/10   

Director:

Tay Garnett

Writers:

Mark Twain (novel)
Edmund Beloin (writer)

Release Date:

22 April 1949 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Family | Fantasy | Musical

Tagline:

Its laughter will ring through the centuries!

Plot:

A singing mechanic from 1912 finds himself in Arthurian Britain.

Plot Keywords:

Technology | Time Travel | Blacksmith | Merlin The Magician | Back In Time

Cast

Bing Crosby	...	Hank Martin
Rhonda Fleming	...	Alisande La Carteloise
Cedric Hardwicke	...	Lord Pendragon / King Arthur (as Sir Cedric Hardwicke)
William Bendix	...	Sir Sagramore
Murvyn Vye	...	Merlin
Virginia Field	...	Morgan Le Fay
Joseph Vitale	...	Sir Logris
Henry Wilcoxon	...	Sir Lancelot
Richard Webb	...	Sir Galahad
Alan Napier	...	High Executioner
Julia Faye	...	Lady Penelope
Mary Field	...	Peasant woman
Ann Carter	...	Peasant girl

Also Known As:

A Yankee in King Arthur's Court (UK)

Runtime:

106 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

Australia:G | Finland:S | Sweden:Btl

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

Mark Twain got his idea for Hank Martin to use the eclipse for his benefit from Christopher Columbus. Columbus actually used an eclipse knowingly to perhaps alter history. Stranded in Jamaica in 1503, on his fourth voyage, Columbus and his crew were wearing out their welcome with the natives, who were feeding them. Columbus knew a lunar eclipse was coming, so he "predicted" the Moon's disappearance. The natives begged him to bring it back and, of course, he did, in due time.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: Stirrups (in Europe - 8th century and later), battlemented castles (12th century and later); full plate armour (14th century and later); spyglass (17th century); and fractured 16th century grammar.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Hank Martin: Here ya are.
[pays taxi driver]
Hank Martin: Hey, has this castle always had four turrets?
Pendragon Castle door man: Always.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Time Travel: Fact, Fiction and Fantasy (1985) (TV)

Soundtrack:

WHEN IS SOMETIME?

King Arthur's era revisited by Bing

This movie is humorous, charming, and easily becomes a favorite for those who enjoy light entertainment. Hollywood is hardly the place for serious history lessons so I simply accept it as is. Bing, in his usual inimitable style, performs quite well as the blacksmith, Hank Martin, who by accident is transported back to another age, the time of King Arthur. The beautiful Rhonda Fleming is breathtaking as Alisande, or Sandy, the object of Hank's affections although she is betrothed to the brave and formidable Sir Lancelot, played by Henry Wilcoxon.

I just love that episode when King Arthur (Cedric Hardwicke), Sir Sagramore (Wm. Bendix), and Hank (Bing Crosby) dress up in tattered clothing and take to the high road with their knapsacks to experience the kingdom at firsthand. King Arthur's comment, "I say, we are not alone" while giving his scruffy garments a good scratch, is one of those hilarious moments in the film. William Bendix's portrayal is superbly ridiculous, not to mention his attempts at quaint "ye Olde English."

The story is not deep but it's well done in my opinion and I enjoy it more each time I see it. It's great family entertainment too.